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April 16, 2005

Columbia, S.C. – – The Steve Spurrier era kicked off in style Saturday with the Black team claiming a 20-10 win over the Garnet team at the Garnet and Black Spring Game played in front of a record crowd of 38,806 at Williams-Brice Stadium. The game was televised live by ESPNU and ESPN2.

The Garnet team held a 10-3 lead late in the second quarter before Black running back Cory Boyd burst through the line for a one-yard touchdown run to tie the score at 10 with 23 seconds left in the half, swinging the momentum in favor of the Black team.

Receiver Sidney Rice gave the Black team its first lead with an acrobatic 30-yard touchdown reception of a Blake Mitchell pass in the left side of the end zone. Kicker Charlie Carpenter capped the game’s scoring with a 26-yard field goal with 2:45 remaining in the game.

Garnet running back Daccus Turman capped a 13-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run at the 1:17 mark in the first quarter to get the scoring underway. Black kicker Thomas Hooper kicked a 31-yard field goal with 10:17 left in the second quarter before Garnet kicker Josh Brown answered with a 19-yarder of his own with 5:47 remaining in the half.

Receiver D’von Hill shined for the Garnet team with five catches for 100 yards, highlighted by a 40-yard reception off a pass from quarterback Antonio Heffner, who ducked tacklers in the backfield to give Hill the time to get down field. Heffner finished 7-of-14 for 129 yards with one interception. Counterpart Blake Mitchell completed 12 of his 23 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown for the Black team.

Defensively, Garnet linebacker Lance Laury led all players with five tackles. Teammate Terrell Davis had 4.5 tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss. Cornerback Jerod June led the Black team with 4.0 tackles and two passes broken up. June put a hard hit on receiver Noah Whiteside in the first half that knocked Whiteside out of the game with an injury to his right leg.

Black team rover Ty Erving capped his productive spring with an interception of a Heffner pass that he returned 37 yards.

Spring Game Awards
Offense
Steve Sisk Outstanding Blocker Award: Lanard Stafford
Outstanding Offensive Lineman: Jabari Levey / Na’Shan Goddard
Most Improved Offensive Lineman: Chris White / Thomas Coleman
Outstanding Running Back: Daccus Turman
Most Improved Quarterback: Blake Mitchell / Antonio Heffner
Weight Room Effort Award: Kris Clark
Outstanding Tight End: Andy Boyd
Most Improved: Carson Askins
Unselfish Award: Syvelle Newton
Everyday Effort Award: Le’Moriell Williams / Jermaine Sims
Carolina Hustle Award: Kyle Bishop

Defense
Outstanding Defensive Lineman: Stanley Doughty / De’Adrian Coley
Most Improved Defensive Lineman: Chris Tucker / David Laggis
Outstanding Linebacker: Ricardo Hurley / Lance Laury
Outstanding Defensive Back: Johnathan Joseph
Most Improved Defensive Back: Jerod June
Unselfish Award: Mike West
Everyday Effort Award: Orus Lambert / Dustin Lindsey
Weight Room Effort Award: Brook Antonio
Carolina Hustle Award: Tremaine Tyler / Jordin Lindsey

Academics
Harold White GPA Award: Offense – Tim Frisby / Defense – Chris Hampton
Andrew Sorensen Scholar-Athlete Award For Football: Michael Glass
Joe Morrison Award (Offensive/Defensive Player of the Spring: Stanley Doughty / Noah Whiteside